Treatment outcomes after 3 years in neovascular age-related macular degeneration using a treat-and-extend regimen.

PURPOSE

To determine 3-year treatment outcomes after 1 to 3 years of ranibizumab or bevacizumab therapy using a treat-and-extend regimen in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

DESIGN

Retrospective, interventional, consecutive case series.

METHODS

We treated 212 eyes from 196 patients diagnosed with treatment-naive neovascular AMD between January 2009 and March 2013; they were treated with either ranibizumab or bevacizumab for a minimum of 1 year, using a treat-and-extend regimen. The main outcome measures were change from baseline best-corrected Snellen visual acuity (BCVA), proportion of eyes losing <3 BCVA lines, proportion of eyes gaining ≥ 3 BCVA lines, change from baseline central retinal thickness, and mean number of injections at 1, 2 and 3 years of follow-up.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up period was 1.88 years (median, 2 years). At baseline, mean BCVA was 20/139; it improved to 20/79 (P < 0.001) after 1 year of treatment and was maintained at 20/69 and 20/64 at 2 and 3 years follow-up (P < 0.001), respectively. At baseline, mean central retinal thickness was 351 μm and significantly decreased to 285 μm, 275 μm and 276 μm at 1, 2 and 3 years of follow-up (P < 0.001), respectively. Patients received, on average, 7.6, 5.7 and 5.8 injections over years 1, 2 and 3 of treatment, respectively. At final follow-up, 94% of eyes had lost <3 lines BCVA, and 34.4% of eyes had gained ≥ 3 lines BCVA.

CONCLUSIONS

The treat-and-extend regimen is effective in achieving and maintaining visual and anatomic improvements in patients with neovascular AMD for up to 3 years of treatment.